Asking the unanswered questions

Harvard College students flocked to the Maxwell Dworkin lobby on Thursday for the fifth annual Harvard Undergraduate Research Symposium (HURS).

Hosted by the Harvard College Undergraduate Research Association (HCURA), the event highlighted student research and exposed interested undergraduates to a wealth of opportunities across the sciences. It also provided a forum for students to meet with members of the faculty to discuss their ideas and receive guidance for ongoing projects.

“You work on your one little topic, and sometimes your struggles are so narrow,” says Charles Liu ’11, president of HCURA. “It’s good to be able to see what other people are doing.”

More than 50 students were selected to display posters, and six students who have completed outstanding research were chosen as plenary speakers. Ellen Farber ’13, who studies computer science at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), spoke about her experience developing a robot that can collect sensory data and process it onboard before transmitting information to a remote computer.

David Edwards, who is a professor of the practice of biomedical engineering at SEAS and a core member of the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, gave the keynote address.

For many undergraduates, participating in research can be the experience that cements their interests and aspirations.